About Syn Bielarusa

Syn Bielarusa is an independent news and media platform dedicated to honest coverage of Belarusian culture, society, and politics — without dependence on foreign grants or government influence.

History

The first "Syn Bielarusa" came out in Vilnia (Vilnius) on 18 May 1924. Edited by M. Shyla, it appeared three times a week; our archive holds 42 issues, from 18 May to 19 September 1924. In 2026, 102 years later, we revived the paper under the same name, and we republish the old issues in the Archives section.

"Syn Bielarusa" carries on the name and spirit of independent Belarusian journalism — a tradition that has faced relentless pressure for decades. The name itself is a statement of identity: a reminder that Belarus has a voice, a history, and a future worth documenting.

Following the mass protests of 2020 and the subsequent crackdown that forced dozens of independent media outlets to shut down or relocate, the need for free Belarusian journalism has never been greater. This platform was revived as a digital space where that journalism can continue — free from fear, free from interference, and free from financial strings attached to editorial decisions.

Mission

Our mission is to provide fact-based, impartial reporting on events that matter to Belarusians — at home and across the diaspora.

We are grant-independent. We do not accept funding from international foundations, foreign governments, or state bodies. Our editorial priorities are set by the editors, not by the funding landscape. This means we cover what is important, not what is convenient for a donor.

What we cover

  • Culture — Belarusian literature, language, art, music, film, and national identity. We believe that cultural life is as important as political life, and that a nation's culture is its most durable form of resistance.
  • Society — Human stories, everyday life, social movements, education, healthcare, and the lives of Belarusians both inside the country and in exile.
  • Politics — Governance, civil rights, democratic institutions, and the long road toward a free and sovereign Belarus. We report on what is happening — not on what those in power want reported.

How we work

Syn Bielarusa is an AI newspaper. Our software follows thousands of sources, gathers the facts and drafts articles. A human reads every article before it is published: nothing goes live without their approval.

An AI journalist works in our newsroom. It looks for news on forums and social media and contacts people with questions on behalf of Syn Bielarusa. If it has written to you, the request comes from the editors; whether to answer is up to you.

Articles are written only from facts found in public sources or verified by an editor by hand. We add context from our own archive database. Every article is published in Belarusian (in the classical orthography), English and Russian. News illustrations are drawn by AI.

Corrections

If you find an error, please report it. The editors read every report, and a confirmed error is corrected in the article.

How to get involved

If you have a news tip, use the Submit tip link in the footer.

For everything else: [email protected].